1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metallic paint film, and more particularly to a novel metallic paint film giving an intensified metallic feeling when viewed at the front as well as having a good flip-flop characteristic.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A conventional metallic paint film has been known in which aluminum scaly particles are contained. This metallic paint film containing aluminium scaly particles hardly gives a metallic effect with light-colored hues since the aluminum scaly particles have intermediate brightness. In addition, it hardly gives a vivid and clear hue with transparency since the aluminum scaly particles exhibit their inherent cloudy effect.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 92321/1975, a metallic finish paint containing titanized mica has been proposed to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above. The titanized mica comprises mica, and a titanium dioxide film coating the surfaces of mica.
The titanized mica gives a pearly gloss effect, and has high brightness. Accordingly, the paint film containing the titanized mica offers the metallic effect with light-colored hues. However, the paint film containing the titanized mica is not so good as the metallic paint film containing aluminum scaly particles with respect to the "flip-flop characteristic" The "flip-flop characteristic" means the difference in contrast when viewed at different angles with respect to a paint film. Namely, the paint film is said to have a greater flip-flop characteristic when the hue viewed substantially at the front with respect to the paint film differs greatly from the hue viewed in an oblique direction with respect to the paint film, or when the hue viewed in the perpendicular direction "a" differs remarkably from the hue viewed in the direction "b" as shown in FIG. 3.
Consequently, an automobile body styling becomes less sharp and offers a reduced three-dimensional effect when the paint film containing the titanized mica is formed on an automobile body, since the paint film has a flip-flop characteristic of a lesser degree. For instance, when viewing the upper part of a door panel painted with the paint film at the front, the lower part of door panel is viewed in an oblique direction. As the paint film has a poor flip-flop characteristic, the upper part and the lower part exhibit similar hues, i.e. the upper part and the lower part look substantially alike, and the "three-dimensional" effect is hardly offered. As a result, the shape of door panel must be redesigned to give it the three-dimensional effect. On the other hand, if the paint film has a good flip-flop characteristic, the upper part and the lower part exhibit different hues, i.e. the upper part looks brighter and the lower part looks darker, Thus, the "three-dimensional" effect will be improved.
Further, the metallic effect offered by the paint film containing the titanized mica is not so good as that offered by the metallic paint film containing aluminum scaly particles. Especially, the metallic effect is least satisfactory when viewed at an oblique angle.